Life

The Monday Round-Up: Riveros Goes 5 for 5

Riveros and Ascenco take first wins of 2019, the buzz around the endurance world and 20 slots for Kona still up for grabs.

Races at a Glance

Herbalife IRONMAN 70.3 Pucon

Riveros: There's no place like home

After winning the four previous IRONMAN 70.3 Pucon titles, Barbara Riveros (CHL) was the favorite heading into the race in Chile. It didn’t take long for her to take her place at the front early into the bike leg, joined by Alicia Kaye (USA) and Macarena Ezquerra (CHL) for the entire 90 km’s.

Riveros started the run just in front of Kaye and Ezquerra. That would be as close to the trailing pair would get to the leader as Riveros pounded out the fastest run of the day, leaving Kaye and Ezquerra left to fight it out for second and third. In yet another brilliant performance in Pucon, Riveros captured her fifth consecutive win, much to the delight of the home crowd.

Santiago Ascenco (BRA), Felipe Barraza (CHL) Felipe Van de Wyngard (CHL), Andy Potts (USA) and Taylor Reid (CAN) made quick work of creating a gap on the field once they hit the single out-and-back 90 km bike course. The quartet rode together for much of the first 70 km’s before Barraza and Reid relented to the pace being set down by Ascenco, Van de Wyngard and Potts who dismounted their bikes together.

Ascenco was on his game early on the run as he forced his way to the front, passing Van de Wyngard for the lead in the opening km. Potts would run into second in the opening half of the run while Ascenco was laying down a race-best run split. The Brazilian would take the first win of the 2019 IRONMAN 70.3 season by a margin of 3:13.

Gallery: Herbalife IRONMAN 70.3 Pucon

The Buzz

Sports Illustrated starts the conversation

Last week Sports Illustrated published their annual “Fittest 50” list, which includes a diverse range of athletic disciplines. We give a big thumbs up to the wide selection of runners, swimmers, and cyclists on the list, and we can’t agree more with SI’s recognition of IRONMAN world champions Daniela Ryf and Patrick Lange, and triathlon Olympic gold medalist Gwen Jorgensen. Among the visually-arresting juxtapositions: comparatively husky golfer Brooks Koepka was pictured in a horizontally-striped polo, immediately before a photo of the skeletal Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas. Who you think looks fitter will undoubtedly depend on your perspective.

Not the April 1st edition.

We’d like to recognize Outside magazine editor Nate Dern for bravely attending nude yoga class as part of a mission to try six of the most unusual fitness classes in New York City. Also on the list: body-weight exercises taught by ex-cons who swear at you, and high intensity interval training in a walk-in fridge. After verifying that we weren’t reading an April Fool’s Day article, we went from amused to appalled, and in some cases intrigued. Read on, and decide if there’s anything you’d like to add to your off-season training regimen.

Recovery is key to resolutions

2019 is the year you go big. And we (and your coach) applaud your optimism and determination. But don’t forget the key to successfully increasing your goals and training -- increasing the quality of your recovery. Gadget experts Gear Patrol are here with a review of some of the biggest names in recovery, including IRONMAN triathlete favorite TheraGun. Launched with what Gear Patrol calls a “quiet bang,” the new TheraGun G3PRO offers a host of improvements, including 50% less noise, at the same price as the old G2PRO. Also-mentions include the HyperIce, and in a link to a previous article the PowerDot and Roll Recovery R8.

Instagram of the Week

20 Slots for Kona up for Grabs

Eligible athletes who register for a 2019 IRONMAN event globally by January 20, 2019 will be automatically entered for a chance to purchase one of the 20 remaining Kona slots.

Athletes who have already registered for a 2019 race prior to the announcement of this promotion will be automatically included.

To see terms and conditions for the Kona Dreamin' promotion click here. No purchase necessary to enter. 40 randomly selected eligible entrants will receive right to purchase a Kona slot. Excludes IRONMAN 70.3 races. Deadline for registration will be January 20, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.